Children's Books

Built around the home run race between New York Yankee greats, Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle in 1961, this novel recounts the exciting events of that summer as seen through the eyes of twelve-year-old Louis May. Although Louis has a "rag arm" and can't ordinarily perform well in neighborhood sports, at one memorable Yankees game, he makes a spectacular catch. This leads to a visit with Roger Maris and an offer to serve as a batboy. To a guy who is a "walking baseball card" this is a dream come true. At the same time, his home life presents distinct challenges. He has problems with his new stepmother and her son and also with some of the neighborhood boys. While the focus of the book is primarily on the red-hot race to see whether or which batter will break Babe Ruth's single season record of sixty home runs, readers do also witness an improving relationship between the members of Louis's blended family. Middle school boys will be most interested in this tribute to baseball history.